News
News is Retail Sector’s central hub for breaking stories, market developments and company updates from across the UK retail industry. This category delivers authoritative, timely coverage on everything from trading performance and executive changes to store openings, brand activity and supply chain developments.
Retail Sector’s news coverage focuses on the business realities behind the headlines — providing retail professionals with context on how each development impacts operations, strategy and market confidence. Readers can expect clear, accurate reporting designed to keep decision-makers informed and competitive in a fast-moving retail landscape.
-
May- 2021 -4 May
Loaf explores £70m sale
Furniture retailer Loaf has reportedly begun exploring a potential sale of the business that could value the business at around £70m. According to the Sunday Times, the retailer has appointed Grant Thornton to start the sales process and sound out any potential suitors. The news comes after the retailer saw…
Read More » -
4 May
USDAW praises Ikea for continuation of living wage commitment
Ikea has been praised by the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw) for its continued commitment to be a living wage employer and pay its employees at least £10 per hour. The news follows the Living Wage Foundation announcement of new rates for the “real” living wage last…
Read More » -
4 May
Frasers Group to launch £60m share buyback scheme
Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group has announced that it is set to commence a £60m shares buyback scheme commencing today (4 May 2021). Lasting until the end of the group’s financial year on 25 April 2021, the programme will see up to 10 million ordinary shares purchased at an aggregate price…
Read More » -
4 May
Topshop starts £420m sale of London flagship store
Topshop has reportedly started the sales process of its former flagship store in London’s Oxford Street, for a price tag of £420m, according to The Times. Valued at £500m two years ago, the six-storey site is considered a Grade II listed building and is being advertised as a “new age…
Read More » -
4 May
Hotel Chocolat to launch branded spaces within Waitrose
Hotel Chocolat will launch new branded spaces within select Waitrose stores, as the confectionery company continues its 12 year relationship with the John Lewis Partnership. According to Waitrose, this is the first time the store has given an “exclusive bay” on its shelves to any other company. The deal will…
Read More » -
Apr- 2021 -30 April
Tesco to offer sustainability-linked supply chain finance
Tesco is set to become the first UK retailer to offer sustainability-linked supply chain finance in a move that will aim to encourage more suppliers to sign up to science-based emissions reduction targets. The voluntary programme has been in development for the past 18 months and is due to launch…
Read More » -
30 April
Unilever Q1 sales rise 5.7%
Unilever has announced that its underlying sales growth (USG) represented a 5.7% year-on-year rise for the first quarter of FY21. However, turnover for the first quarter of FY21 was £10.7bn, a 0.9% year-on-year decrease due to a negative currency related impact of 8%. The spike in sales was underpinned by…
Read More » -
30 April
Apple sees Q2 revenues up 54%
Apple has revealed that its revenues for the second quarter of the year ending March 27, increased 54% to $89.6bn (£64.3bn). It comes as the retailer reported that international sales accounted for 67% of the quarter’s revenue. Apple reported double-digit growth in all of its product categories, with iPhone sales…
Read More » -
30 April
Co-op set to ban sale of ‘bags for life’ across its 2600 stores
The Co-op is set to become the latest supermarket to ban ‘bags for life’ from sale across its 2600 stores. According to the group, bags for life use more plastic in their production than conventional single use carriers, which has in turn increased the amount of plastic in circulation. Co-op’s…
Read More » -
30 April
Gym+Coffee welcomes One Direction backer
Irish-based athleisure brand Gym+Coffee has announced that One Direction’s Niall Horan has become an investor in the group. As a shareholder, Horan aims to support the business while raising the profile of the brand internationally. Founded in 2017, Gym+Coffee expanded its store portfolio in 2020 with the opening of a…
Read More »
